New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-03

music Mr.. Oldham sat down TO tne PAM an.
played one or two pieces about whlch Ihcs nou
been speaking. And presently, at bis urseno re
Quest. Miss Seymour blushing very much, and no'
quite knowing whether she was dong right or nv
| sat down and played from memory some Oh aien-
ldelssohns Songs, and then SANG Sctuoerts Aueu.
Although she was rather nervous she succeedeo III
astonishing her listener. 1t is popular error 10
u,nnose that any one who chooses TO practise can
play the piano well the truth being that srea'
nianist or instrumentast Of any kind is, ike tne
poet born and not made She had the gift when
is SO rare, and which can never be acquired py
mere practice, the GIFT OF performing the music OF
Others as If it an inspiration Of her own But
IL Mr. Oldham was surprised at her performance
on the piano. he was even more surprised at her
when he heard the soprano voice in which she sang
Schubert's "Adieu" The fact was that Miss Sey-
mour had very great natural talent for music ana
had been carefully taught before her father died,
insolvent, leaving her and son. who was at
sea, renniless
1t was not until long after o'clock THAI he
went down TO the White Hart to dine Ills
thoughts were wholly engrossed with Miss Sey-
mour, and before he had finished his dinner he
determined to give up all thoughts of political
career for the present, and to enter his name al
the Temple In the meantime Miss Darrell return
ed to Fort Crescent and was very wroth on hearing
that the rooms were let to q young gentleman
with no other luggage than bag.
"But he is perfect gentleman, and will pay you
|
Then why did you not take his money! You
let him into tho house, and now goodness knows
how we shall be when we get rid of him. HIS
money will be gone in scampins before the emo OF
the week, and it won't give him much trouble to
get away with the bag. Do you think can keep
house for yourself and every man who makes eyes
at YOU ?' was the retort.
One of the predominating elements in Miss OAR
rel's character was quality of being unpleasant.
A small woman, with pale pinched face and coal
black hair. her asperity seemed to mingle quite
naturally even with her geniality, Just as the
tartness OF small crab-apple does with It's sweet
ness And to pursue the smile, just as the crab
apple can be very bitter occasionally, 50 Miss
Darrell could be very nasty at times.
Miss Seymour did not cry or retal1ate. She was
poor and defenceless, and So after saying that the
rooms were let for that night ut all events, she
went upstairs to her room, which was, perhaps,
the best thing she could have done.
"Oh, you are the gentleman who has taken the
ground floor p was the salutation Mr.. Oldham re-
ceived when he returned at about o'clock.
Yes, madam, I believe that am that unfor-
tunate Individual, he replied.
Miss Darrell was taken nback He spoke SO
politely but with such cool self-possession that
she did not quite know whether to regard his
answer rs being complimentary or the reverse
Are you likely to stay for any length Of timer
At the present season 1 -"
Il told Miss Seymour shall be happy to take
tne rOOlnS LOT u IOrtntnb you can leu me HiNo
them, and to pay for them In advance said Mr.
Oldham.
There was no resisting this, so Miss Darrell, who
was proud as she was tart, and who saw that
he was evidently quite trustworthy, sisnifed that
he could have the rooms, and that he could pay
when he was leaving.
Next morning he played the piano for an hour
or more after breakfast in the hope OF bringing
Hiss Seymour into the room but she did not appear
He went out for walk and came back about
O'Clock, but there was no trace of her. Once or
twice he the point Of asking the servant IL
she was in the house but he refrained from doing
he began to suspect that she was keeping out
Of his way because she had been bullied about him
by her aunt. His suspicious were confirmed by
what happened when he returned at about half
past 10 that night. Miss Seymour was coming
downstairs as he opened the hall door. She blushed
said very timidly "Good night, and ran downstairs
before he could say word to her. 1t was evident,
then that the poor girl afraid to speak to him.
He OWNED the situation at once, and his affection
increased with his anger and pity. For more than
an hour he sat meditating In his parlor, and the
result of his deliberations was determination to
Iropose to Miss Seymour at the first opportunity.
awe must keep it dark from the governor he
thought 81 know that his mind is set on founding
q family, as it is called. lie wants me TO marry
into some aristocratic family and get into the
Peerage. But we could live ON $500 a year
ALLOWING for the appearances I'll have to keep up
and at that rate we'd have nearly $1,000 saved
by the time I'm called to the bar. Yes, that's
evidently the game. And now l must see Miss
Seymour-to-morrow If possible, for / must be In
town to meet the governor on w ednosday There's
the difficulty. though. The aunt must not know
anything about it. 1t would be sure to leak out
if she did,
And then he framed several devices for getting
an interview with Miss Seymour, which he aban-
doned one by one as being unworl<able.
Next morning, however, accident gave him the
opportunity he sought. After breakfast he stroled
up toward Fort Parade. lie just about to
pass the Parade when he looked back and saw
Miss Darrell walking down toward the town,
evidently on her way to church. Mr. Oldham
walked on little way to let her get out OF sight.
Then he turned and went back to the house as
fast as he could. When he got into his parlor he
rang the bell and asked the servant If he could see
Miss Darrell for @ minute.
mo sir she just gone to church.
"Oh! Could 1 see Miss Seymour thcnP' He
blushed, and his heart beat fast as he asked the
question
IN see, sir. She's upstairs, l think was
the answer
He sat down and pretended to read newspaper,
which was two or three days old ; but he must
have been very clever he succeeded, for he held
il before him UPSIDE down.
"Shen be down in moment, sir" said the
servant minute afterward
She began to clear the table OF the breakfast
things and he watched her I'm perfect agony. For,
80 absorbed he in the one engrossns topic that
he had to speak to Miss Seymour about that, If
she had come into the room whilst the servant
was there he could not to save his life, have found
any pretext that would have passed muster as an
excuse for having asked TO see her. At last, now
ever the table was cleared and he was left alone.
What was he to sayp All his thoughts seemed to
rise before him in an incoherent mass, the only
| unifying principle about which was his desire to
tell her that he loved her and to ask her TO be his
wife, But how to put the matterP 1t was so
| sudden and there were many complications
| about it, lie was a clever man, and under any
| ordinary circumstances nc knew it well enough
better, perhaps, than he might have cared to con-
| fcss. But at present he sat pale and trembling
with a sense OF his own impotence and audacity